Am I on the right track?

[gam945]

Hi guys, not new to the game (althought new to fm19), however it's my first game in 2 months due to my pc breaking. So i had a long time to think about a challenge and beginning a serious load, and began a game with Padova, in Serie B and predicted to be 18th by the media. I read many threads on this forum, about how organizing a save, and tried to put it all into practice. I would like to get comments about my tactics, and about how i'm setting this game to make of Padova Calcio a big club for future years!

First, I'm a big fan of Sacchi, and I'm more a type of a rigid coach. So i set an idea of play, a tactic, and the player have to suit it. However, considering that I don't have superstars players, I may change some roles or instructions for example, but never my style of play. So basically, my style of play would be solid defending, not allowing the opponent to play in our half, direct one touch play, counter-attack if there is an opportunity, build the play if not, but do not keep the ball for the sake of it. So always look for the opportunity to advance and be ready to defend your half every second.

I began by setting my tactic, without putting any players. I will play in 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1) because this formation is a lot versatile, and i can use it for very different approachs (okay, i admit it was because Sacchi played in 4-4-2 and that i read this sentence on this forum lol ). I want my 2 MCs to actively defend and participating in build up and counter attacking, but no runs as I don't want them to concede space to the opposition. Even if I have a BWM that roams, he won't be roaming too much when i do not have the ball because I have the Much Lower LOE. The front two is composed by a shadow striker, who will be the link between attack and mildfield and running at defenses, and a poacher who won't have to participate in build-up and will be harassing the opposition defense and always run behind them. The two wingers will have to assist the attack, participate to the build up, and helping defense by not conceding space to opposition. I expect the front two to put in the goals and the SS and the wingers to provide assists.

The central defenders will be classic CDs, and the DL and DR are expecting to firstly defend, but also participate to counter-attacks. In normal play, i expect them to cross from deep, and not conceding space behind them. As i have tall CDs and i want to restrict space to the opposition as much as i can, i add the Defend Narrower TI. And for the reasons i explained before, I will add Counter, Pass into space (always try to advance), Shorter Passing (i want to build up play as much as i can) and Higher Tempo (play fast, do not waste time).

I will not add more TIs, to keep it simple. If things doesn't work, I'll find the problem easier, and if things work and i want to add TIs, i will also see their effect easier. Also, i didn't put any PIs, I will first see how players play with those roles and TIs, then adjust if i have to. For example, if my FB crosses from too much advanced positions, I'll instruct him to Cross from deep. Also, it will be easier to change roles if players don't behave like I want.

Next, (before putting players in the slots) i identified some qualities that i want all of my players to have:

• teamwork, work rate, stamina, natural fitness
• passing, technique, first touch, off the ball
• determination, concentration

Those are nonnegotiable, so players that do not have good rates in those attributes will not be part of my project at long term. So I created a view with those attributes, and chose my starters first based on those attributes, then with position specific attributes.

My next step is to identify weak spots (left wing is urgent, i do not have natural MLs or AMLs, and I can I also have to trade a CM for a natural MR). After that, I will be filtering my youth squads with my principal attributes to see who will be part of the long term project and who won't be, and adjusting team training. The individual training will begin when I'll have played 2 or 3 matches, to give me time to adjust tactics.

 

I will be pleased to have comments about my tactics, or about how I'm setting this load, if I missed something or if I should change part of my approach  

(PS: sorry for the english, I'm not a native speaker)

[herne79]

A good start and opening post .

The best thing you can do now really is to try it out, see how it works.  The only thing I'd add at the moment concerns this:

7 hours ago, gam945 said:

So basically, my style of play would be ... not allowing the opponent to play in our half

 

7 hours ago, gam945 said:

I have the Much Lower LOE.

Your line of engagement dictates where your players will start to press or challenge your opponents.  Combined with your Balanced mentality and lack of additional pressing, you may find you will actually be letting your opponents play in your half, so something to keep an eye on when testing the system.

[gam945]

Finally finished my pre-season, after some doubts about continuing this save...And I have to say the result is quite impressive -imo- as a side promoted from Serie C

The first two games were generated by the games, the other ones i played them. Big headline is a 2-0 win in Coppa Italia against Bologna (!!!), and i would say 50% of the teams I met with in friendlies were similar reputation, and the other 50% were smaller reputation.

Thus far, I'm producing a game that is near from what i want, without considering the quality of the players. Defensive solidness, direct play based on quick short vertical passes mostly, quick counters. The only thing that still is a problem for me is that i still score -roughly- 30 to 50% of my goals with long balls, corners, etc. But as a 19th predicted team, I'll say I'm happy at the moment.

Those are respectively the main and the "big teams counter" tactics:

The second tactic was used only against Bologna, a serie A side, and produced a 2-0 win, however i plan to use it against top Serie B sides like Brescia or Palermo.

In the two tactics, the DLP-de has PI close down less and the CM/DM-su has PI hold position. In the second tactic, I replicate the SS with my CM-a so it has PIs dribble more, move into channels, take more risks.

The W and the IW are very variable positions, sometimes its IW-x-xW, sometimes its W-x-x-IW, and even a WM with cut inside, dribble more in the left depending on my players.

Some stats about the Bologna win

When i see the pass combinations charts, something i immediately verify is  the passing betweens CDs/FBs. The fact that there is not much passes between them tells me we're going foward basically -as i understand it. Also, those are all the Shots on target, only one outside the box, and it's even on the edge, so nice to see.

And here the stats of the Coppa italia match before Bologna:

 

The media predicted us to go to penalties, Casertana is a Serie C team predicted to be 2nd, and Padova -my team- is a Serie B promoted from Serie C last season and predicted 19th... so i guess we're "equal" clubs. Here again, but with my main 4-4-1-1 tactic, not much passing involving  the CDs, and i like the pass combinations between midfield and attack. 50% of shot in target were in the box, nice to see again.

I really like the behavior of my 4-man midfield, and the fact that I removed the more urgent pressing TI like Experienced Defender suggested me resulted in a very solid team in defense, the bank of 4 in midfield not being all over the place. Also the combinations of the TQ-SS is magical, the TQ is always in space, and when he's not in the box the SS does the job. And when the TQ is in place in a more traditional striker position, the SS links with the midfield...very nice for my direct play.

Now, i still have to figure out how to analyse a match and to draw conclusions to ameliorate my tactic during a match. Apart from average positions, pass combinations, shots and crosses, I have no idea how to identify the opposition weakness or their tactical plan during the match...

 

On 04/07/2019 at 04:12, herne79 said:

Your line of engagement dictates where your players will start to press or challenge your opponents.  Combined with your Balanced mentality and lack of additional pressing, you may find you will actually be letting your opponents play in your half, so something to keep an eye on when testing the system.

That was true also, I put lower LOE and Higher DL instead, as i still want to have enough space for my counter-attacks (LOE) and wanted vertical compactness (so i adjusted the DL). That was also explained to me by another member here. And sorry for the late reply, after I started this thread, my save began to be nonsense, so i thought about abandon it. However lately I decided to -seriously- begin another time this save, and here we are